Star Wars Rebels: Rebel Resolve (S1Ep13)- Review

After a week-long hiatus Star Wars Rebels returns with Rebel Resolve, the last episode before the season finale.

RECAP

With the Imperial menace breathing down their necks Ezra and the crew look to pull off a risky endeavor by commandeering an AT-DP Walker in hopes of hacking the Imperial network to discover the fate of missing leader Kanan. Sadly, this is nothing more than a wild goose chase as blowing up the communications has left access to the Imperial network impossible. The crew soon realizes they are in over their head and radio Hera for a bailout. Hera arrives in the Phantom, but Chopper refuses to the Walker and must manually be removed by Zeb. The crew makes it out safely and their damaged Walker crashes into the second active Walker leaving the rebels to their escape.

Once back on board the Ghost Hera is being reprimanded by Fulcrum for the attention Kanan’s transmission is receiving through out the galaxy. Not just the civilians they intended to inspire but the highest echelons of the Empire. Fulcrum warns Hera that it is in their best interest to abandon Kanan and go into hiding. When this information is presented to the crew Ezra instantly objects and deciding to organize his own rescue. Using Chopper as a decoy Ezra, Sabine, and Zeb hijack the Phantom to find Vizago.

When the Rebels find Vizago he isn’t too keen to help them out and assures them he hasn’t heard anything. Yet, the Rebels press him eventually revealing that Kanan, as well as himself, is a Jedi and finally Vizago agree to help. In a private meeting with Ezra, Vizago reveals that with the communications tower was destroyed, droids were being used to courier information from the city to the communication ship in orbit. After obtaining the information Ezra meets back up with Sabine and Zeb who have been discovered by Hera and are receiving a stern talking too. Yet, after seeing the crews resolve to rescue Kanan she realizes it best to get on board or get out of the way.

The posse intercept the communication droid and send Chopper in it’s place using his talents to hack the system and intercept Kanan’s location. After tricky maneuvers and the daring rescue of the mech droid it is discovered that the Empire is sending Kanan to the Mustafar system, which is where, as Hera put it, Jedi go to die.

MY TWO CENTS

Well, where to start? This episode has done much to set the scene for the season finale- and yet, very little else. This episode for the most part lacked spark. Gone is the tension of the previous episode, the ominous presence of the Empire lurking behind every corner. In its place, a pretty straight forward task based episode lacking in any of the humor or charm of previous episodes in the season.

Still, we should focus on the good aspects of the episode.

We got to see Fulcrum… sort of… I am still trying to figure out who Fulcrum could be at first when the character was mentioned I was like, “hey maybe it’s Yoda.” But speech patterns of the character have pretty much ruled that out. Now, I am leaning towards believing that Fulcrum is one or both of Ezra’s parents. The familiar way in which Fulcrum discussed Ezra’s well being felt a little pointed.

We also had some fun action sequences that really weren’t too different from anything we have seen previously but enjoyable none-the-less.

Really this was a great episode for Hera as we are now discovering more about her loyalties and motivations. It was nice to see the team not instantly agree about something or be instantly swayed in Ezra’s direction.

Still, though, this is an episode I could simply write off as I watched it and then it was over. Yet I still anticipate the season finale as I feel like this episode merely rested on its laurels in preparation of knocking our collective socks off next week- or so I hope.